“I initially ignored Peepli [Live]” – Aamir Khan

In BollySpice’s last interview with Aamir Khan, the actor spoke at length about the film and the director Anusha Rizvi. In our second installment, the 3 Idiots star reveals some unknown details about the film as well as dissecting the soundtrack. By now you’ve probably heard the incredibly rustic album by now and if you haven’t then we suggest you do so and immediately. However, for now, take a look at Aamir’s opinion of the music as we continue his interview about the film that is slated to be the most honest film of 2010.

Anusha has said that you apparently thought Peepli [Live] was a joke! Really?

Well you know the working title for Peepli [Live] was “The Falling”. And I was actually shooting for a film called Mangal Pandey — The Rising. So when I got an email where this person was saying they had a great script for me titled “The Falling”, I thought someone was just being cheeky with me and trying to crack a joke. So I ignored it and until she told me about her background, that she was a journalist from NDTV and so on, then I started taking her a little more seriously.

Now of course, the music is top notch. ‘Mehngai Dayain’ is fantastic!

You liked that?

Yes! I love it. Apparently it was shot live on set right?

Yeah. There are actually musicians in a village who create music and this was their song. They were singing it in the village when Anusha heard them singing it and she really liked it. So she requested them to be a part of the film, and for the song to be a part of the film. And they recorded it while they were shooting it. So it’s not recorded in the studio; it has a very raw quality. They are sitting at night under a tree and that is how it got recorded.

What is your favorite number from the soundtrack?

(Thinks) Well that’s a tough one. I like all four songs. ‘Des Mera’ is a great song. ‘Zindagi Se Darte Ho’ is one my favorites. ‘Mehngai Dayain’ is great too. I also really love ‘Chola Maati Ke Raam’. The song that Nageem [Tanvir] has sung. It’s another great song. It’s very philosophical and the words are really amazing. I don’t know if you got the words. ‘Chola Maati Ke Raam’… Chola means our body is like a robe, which is made of Maati, mud. So iska kya barosa? So it’s a very philosophical song.

The soundtrack is such an interesting mix of rural and then the rock opera ‘Zindagi Se Darte Ho’.

Well, ‘Zindagi Se Darte Ho’ is actually a Nazam by Noon Meem Rashed, who is a very fine poet. And Anusha went up to me with this poem and said that I’d like to convert this into a song and let’s get Indian Ocean to compose it into a tune. Indian Ocean of course, are very good at combining folk and rural music along with rock. And this time, it was Urdu lyrics which they combined with a rock style of music. I really like that song.

You are extremely liked on Twitter. How do you plan to use it in the future for your films?

Well you know I don’t know if I am right for Twitter because it’s a great platform but it’s the kind of platform that frequency of communication is also important. And I don’t know; I tend to get lost in my own world (laughs). Well I do it once in a while.

When will we see you again on the big screen? What is coming up next for Aamir Khan productions?

The answer to both those questions is the same. The next film for Aamir Khan Productions is called Dhobi Ghat. That has been written and directed by Kiran [Rao] my wife. And I’m also acting in it, so you’ll see me onscreen in Dhobi Ghat.

What message does Peepli [Live] have for its audiences?

Well, I hope it’s a film that they will enjoy and will sensitize them to make them think about things that we take for granted in life.

That’s it folks! Aamir Khan front and center as he talks volumes about Peepli [Live]. The film releases August 13th, 2010. Be sure to catch it at a theater near you.